No Love For Electro-Voice 50M?

[Chickee]

With all the recent threads gushing over the Electro-Voice EV30m, why no deep diving into the EV50m? Is there an issue with the big brother? Is it the weight differential and portability? What is it, about 15lbs. difference between the two?
I doubt its the price point.

[lkingston]

Originally Posted by Chickee

With all the recent threads gushing over the Electro-Voice EV30m, why no deep diving into the EV50m? Is there an issue with the big brother? Is it the weight differential and portability? What is it about 15lbs. difference between the two?
I doubt its the price point, this forum seems pretty well heeled.

I have a pair of each: two 30Ms and two 50Ms. The power on both of them is the same, but because of the larger design of the sub and column, the 50M will reach an SPL at one meter of 127db rather than 123db.

The 50M also has that wonderful RJ 45 QuickSmart Link connector which lets you combine the mixers into a single mixer with twice the channels.

My goal was to have a PA that was modular. One where I could grab just what I needed for a specific gig. I wanted to be able to go from a tiny coffee shop to an outdoor stage where people use folding chairs and eat from food trucks.

I also wanted to have a system that would take up minimal space in my 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman, which has a little more space than a regular Mini, but not by much.

They sound very similar up to the top volume of the 30M. Both of them sound remarkably constant from their lowest to their highest volumes. The 50M has a little bit deeper bass, but I am not sure that that is at all important with just an acoustic. If you are doing bass and percussion, it will matter more.

A strong argument could be made for just getting the 50M. It doesn’t take up a lot more space on stage. Packed, the sub is a little larger and heavier, and the packed column is about twice as bulky, but still a manageable size.

I bought the 30M first because the deal on customer returns at ProAudioStar was so good. Then I started thinking, and realized that two 30Ms would combine to put out 126db, just one db lower than a single 50M. I got a second one at the customer return price. Two 30Ms at the customer return price are just a little less than one 50M, so it seemed like a good deal.

The only problem was that while the 30M is really great for most gigs, it is a bit shy of handling any sort of “folding chairs and food trucks” sized outdoor space. I really wanted to be able to do that.

A 50M is a 127db. The sub is larger and column has larger speakers and two more of them. This amounts to more throw which is also important at those bigger outdoor spaces. Two 50Ms give you a very respectable 130db SPL, which will handle a pretty good sized outdoor space, at least with acoustic music.

Plus, those larger outdoor spaces are exactly where you will probably want to have a bigger band and need more mixer channels. These are the gigs where moving the speakers into front of house position and using monitors makes sense. I use two Bose S1 Pro speakers for this.

Then I found price on the 50M that was about $150 cheaper than everyone else and bought two.

Also, keep in mind with two 50Ms and two 30Ms, you can go even bigger by using the two 50Ms as front of house speakers, and the two 30Ms with their built in time alignment at some distance away from the stage in order to throw the sound even further without blasting the people close to the stage. Teleplucker mentioned that he did this recently in one of the other 30M threads: while controlling all four columns from the same app! That makes for a PA that can handle a very large space!

If you need to go any bigger than that, you really need to hire a sound company.

I find it astounding that you can do this range of sizes of venues with so little equipment, and that it is so easily scalable over such a wide range of gig sizes.

[Chickee]

Terrific response. Thanks for the very detailed explanation of differences and commonalities.
frank d.

[Teleplucker]

I have both the 30M and the 50M. When I decided i wanted to experiment with the product line the 50M was not available. If you will only ever need 1 or 2 of these I would definitely go with the 50m. The ability to tie them together with an ethernet cable is worth the price difference.

Not having to carry a separate mixer is a great selling point for either speaker in my opinion.

[lkingston]

Originally Posted by Teleplucker

If you will only ever need 1 or 2 of these I would definitely go with the 50m. The ability to tie them together with an ethernet cable is worth the price difference.

I would agree with you…if I didn’t drive a MiniCooper…and if I wasn’t 60 years old… and if the 30M wasn’t half the price…

In retrospect, I think I would buy one 30M and two 50Ms. I absolutely agree with you about the value of linking two of them together with the Ethernet cable. That is an incredibly valuable feature! Though, it really does make more sense on the larger 50M because that is the one that you would be more likely to use with a band.

I agree that the 50M is only minimally bigger on stage. The important footprint size especially is just the tiniest bit bigger. Transporting, the 50M is a bit heavier and the column is bulkier, but it isn’t deal killer either.

The thing is that the 30M is the same amp power, and half the price (at least at the ProAudioStar return price). It is big enough about 90% of the time, and that 90% of the time amounts to a heck of a lot of packing in your car and lugging around. Using the 30M the bulk of the time means that you are putting very little wear and tear on the bigger 50M, and that you always have a spare should something break down.

[Chickee]

Yes, I agree about the Ethernet cable connection, adding another eight channels to the mixer is very enticing if your band expands from a duo to a quartet. Thank you for your response.
fd

[lkingston]

Originally Posted by Teleplucker

Not having to carry a separate mixer is a great selling point for either speaker in my opinion.

Not having to carry a mixer is HUGE! Not just the mixer: the stand for the mixer, the extra wires for the mixer, the case for the mixer, the space in the club for the mixer…

And it is just so convenient! I have a clamp with a MagSafe mount on my mic stand. I can mix from my position on the stage. I can mix from out in the audience. Most of us just get the mix going, and leave it the rest of the night. This is by far the best way to do it!

[Stringmaster]

I chose the 50m over the 30m for my solo show since to my ear it sounded warmer and fuller with more (and bigger) speakers. I have the rolling cart so the added weight isn’t a big deal. That said, the 30m could likely handle my gigs fine.

[Chickee]

Does the SHORT POLE ATTACHMENT for the “50” series also work correctly for the “50M” model? Or are the electronics different because of the mixer?

[lkingston]

Originally Posted by Chickee

Does the SHORT POLE ATTACHMENT for the “50” series also work correctly for the “50M” model? Or are the electronics different because of the mixer?

The short pole works fine for either system.

[lkingston]

I’m playing here tonight. I’m not doing PA, but if I was, would be using the 50M pair as front of house with monitors.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Chickee

With all the recent threads gushing over the Electro-Voice EV30m, why no deep diving into the EV50m? Is there an issue with the big brother? Is it the weight differential and portability? What is it, about 15lbs. difference between the two?
I doubt its the price point.

The EV50M is the one I would buy if considering an EV system--weight be danged! Deal killer for me on both the EV30M and EV50M is no 48-volt phantom power. Hey, EV, if Bose can do it so can you!

[Chickee]

Originally Posted by lkingston

I’m playing here tonight. I’m not doing PA, but if I was, would be using the 50M pair as front of house with monitors.

Knock’em dead tonight tiger! What a beautiful venue! Break a leg.

[Chickee]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

The EV50M is the one I would buy if considering an EV system--weight be danged! Deal killer for me on both the EV30M and EV50M is no 48-volt phantom power. Hey, EV, if Bose can do it so can you!

It’s easy enough to get a little DI box with 48v phantom power available. My feeling on that is I couldn’t see using an LDC mic live regularly, except possibly an EarTrumpetLabs large diaphragm condenser mic with very high feedback rejection. The Sennheiser 935’s and 945’s would fit the need fine. But thank you SpruceTop for bringing that fact to my attention. I wasn’t aware of that information.
frank d.

[Chriscom]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

The EV50M is the one I would buy if considering an EV system--weight be danged! Deal killer for me on both the EV30M and EV50M is no 48-volt phantom power. Hey, EV, if Bose can do it so can you!

It's a weird choice for sure. However I *think* it's enough to power my Cloudlifter, even though IIRC that doesn't meet their stated requirements. I'll try to check in a day or two.